Habitat Common resident of arid canyons with dense cover of scrub and brush.

Observation Tips Not unduly shy, but dense nature of favored habitat makes observation tricky. Wait for birds to emerge from cover rather than attempt to track them in brush.

Range California, Texas, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southwest

Voice Song is a vibrant series of whistles, some with a fluty quality; each note is typically repeated several times; call is a nasal ch'lup.

Discussion Formerly considered conspecific with California Towhee, but slimmer and paler. Ranges of two species do not overlap and subtle plumage differences also help with identification. Mainly terrestrial and usually feeds unobtrusively in dense cover. Sexes are similar.